“Dot Fear” ~ illness amongst driving instructors

"Dot Fear" infection caught from a driving instructor strikes down an innocent and unsuspecting student.

Just recently I was approached by a student who needed her licence for her new job as soon as possible. The student Lucy had been pinned inside a car with an instructor George in Swindon ( Magic Roundabout Country )

Multiple Dot Fear Area

Another Student smacked down by "Dot Fear"

Lucy Fails Her Test Because of a "DOT FEAR" infected driving lessons instructor!

Lucy ended her test with "Dot Fear" infection. George from Swindon had been teaching the poor Lucy that you had to stay off the white dot in the centre of the mini-roundabout and had to drive around it. Many instructors have this "Dot Fear" infection that they pass on to their students just to make the driving lessons more difficult and exasperating for the poor student. Obviously this increases the student's reliance on the instructor and is totally unnecessary and completely wrong.

When Lucy started her intensive driving lessons with Carcaptain leading up to her driving test we identified the "Dot Fear" syndrome early and started working on getting rid of this incorrect practice.

It is not necessary to go round the dot in the centre of the mini-roundabout as it is only there for cosmetic and identification safety reasons. In many cases trying to stay off the dot can be dangerous and driving around it is just not possible. In Lucy's case when she was under test pressure she slipped into previously bad habit training ("Dot Fear" infection) and tried to turn right on a mini-roundabout where it was physically impossible to carry out the manoeuvre without crossing the white dot in the centre of the roundabout. Lucy ended up almost taking out the railings on the pavement around the mini-roundabout, had to stop, reverse and then complete the right turn.

Back at the test centre the examiner regretfully had to tell the poor "Dot Fear" infected Lucy that she had only 4 minors and the one serious fault as a result of her infection.

The examiner took great pains at explaining to Lucy that the white round marking in the centre of a mini-roundabout is not holy ground. This white dot is mainly there for identification purposes. It can and should be traversed where necessary to make the drive safe and smooth. Further, negotiating the congestion of traffic and dealing with the priorities of other road users at the mini roundabout is more important.

Don't fear the "Dot".

Questions from Editorial Readers ~ Answered

Question; "What is the use of it if you are allowed to drive over it ?"

Answer; The Dot painted (and sometimes slightly raised) is there so you can visualize and identify that the junction is subject to priority rules that govern roundabouts; namely mostly "give way to the right!".

The Dreaded Dot in the centre of the Mini-Roundabout

However, the main identifying marker for a mini-roundabout is the sign posted at the entry point of the mini-roundabout.

Signs at the entry point of a mini-roundabout

Some more versions of the Mini-Roundabout Signs:

Not Who You Think.

All the names in this article have been changed and they are not who you may think they are. We have done this to protect the identities of those involved. However, if you are learning from a "Dot Fearing" infected instructor RUN, run very fast. Now hope you are not too seriously compromised.

Sorry for this inconvenience! Carcaptain is on Coronavirus lockdown (in hibernation) until such time that it is appropriate for us to start operations again. Our driving instructors, client managers, accounting and administrative staff are at home self-isolating. Further, the DVSA has officially cancelled all driving tests except for key workers for 3 months. Carcaptain presumes that this is until the end of June. If any key workers need urgent help and can arrange their driving test directly with the DVSA, they can contact us at admin@carcaptain.co.uk which will be monitored for this purpose from time to time.
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